Ukiah: Naked man Tased after leaving hospital

A naked man who fled the custody of mental health workers at Ukiah Valley Medical Center Monday was Tased by officers attempting to subdue him, the Ukiah Police Department reported.

According to the UPD, an officer responded to Perkins Street and Hospital Drive around 6:50 p.m. March 18 after UVMC staff reported that a 39-year-old patient, who had been detained by the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office as a potential threat to others, had pulled out an I.V. and ran away.

The responding officer located the patient, who was described as naked and bleeding profusely from his groin area, on Perkins Street and determined that the man had actually removed a catheter from his body, causing severe injury to himself. The officer commanded the patient to stop, but he reportedly ignored the commands and "continued walking toward the sergeant with a blank stare."

The officer deployed his Taser at the patient, who briefly fell, but began to remove the Taser probes and stand up. When the officer deployed his Taser a second time, the man removed the probe and began running away.

A second officer arrived and also deployed his Taser, and the suspect was taken into custody after a third officer and MCSO deputies arrived and were able to handcuff the man after further struggle.

The patient was returned to UVMC and another case worker from the Mendocino County Health Department was called to respond as the first case worker had left. Charges of resisting a peace officer are being sought by the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office.

According to the UPD, the patient had been detained after reportedly threatening to kill someone, and was being accompanied by the first mental health worker while being medically cleared by UVMC staff. The patient had been restrained earlier, but apparently the restraints were removed because "patients are required to remain unrestrained for a certain period of time before being transported to a separate facility for treatment."